Obama Admin. Threatened Nigeria with Sanctions in 2013 for Fighting Boko Haram

[R.D.]

No wonder the Nigerian government was initially reluctant to accept U.S. assistance with finding the more than 200 Christian girls kidnapped by Boko Haram last month. Emboldening Nigeria’s Islamic terrorist enemies and having been already accused by the Obama administration of crimes against humanity for fighting militants who were responsible for hundreds of civilian deaths since 2010, they likely felt that Obama’s belated support was more a product of diplomatic CYA than actually caring about the fate of kidnapped Nigerian children.

Obama Administration Threatened Nigeria with Sanctions in 2013 for Fighting Boko Haram

 

[waltky]

Boko Haram suspected in double blasts that kill 118 in Jos, Nigeria...

Nigeria car bombs kill at least 118
Thu, May 22, 2014 - DOUBLE STRIKE: Police said explosives in a car and minibus were detonated 20 minutes apart in a busy market area, and that most of the deceased are women

Twin car bombings in central Nigeria killed at least 118 people and brought entire buildings down on Tuesday, in the latest affront to the government’s internationally backed security crackdown. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan swiftly condemned the attack in the central city of Jos, calling it a “tragic assault on human freedom” and condemning the perpetrators as “cruel and evil.” “President Jonathan assures all Nigerians that [the] government remains fully committed to winning the war against terror and... will not be cowed by the atrocities of enemies of human progress and civilization,” his office said. However, the deadly strike and a suicide car bomb attack that killed four in the northern city of Kano on Sunday will raise fresh questions about the government’s grip on the country’s security.

Jonathan has already faced calls to quit for failing to ensure the safety of Nigerians and their property, as well as come under criticism for his lackluster response to the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls by Boko Haram militants. An international team, including specialists from the US, Britain, France and Israel, are involved in the hunt for the 223 teenagers, who were abducted in the remote town of Chibok on April 14. In Jos, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) coordinator Mohammed Abdulsalam said buildings collapsed because of the intensity of the blasts in the New Abuja Market area, causing raging fires. “More bodies may be in the debris,” he said. “The exact figure of the dead bodies recovered as at now is 118... 56 people were injured.” The military said improvised explosive devices were hidden in a truck and a minibus. The second went off about 20 minutes after the first, as emergency service workers tended to the victims.

Crowds gather at the scene of an explosion at Terminus Market in Jos, Nigeria

Most of the victims were women, added Pam Ayuba, spokesperson for Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang. Plateau, of which Jos is the capital, falls in Nigeria’s so-called Middle Belt, where the mainly Christian south meets the Muslim-majority north. The state and its religiously divided capital have seen deadly sectarian clashes in the past, as well as attacks from Boko Haram extremists, who have been waging an increasingly deadly insurgency in the north since 2009. There was no immediate indication of who was responsible for the latest attacks, although the police in Kano said they had arrested two men in connection with Sunday’s bombing, without giving details.

Nigeria has concentrated on a mainly military response to Boko Haram in the northeast and on Tuesday, parliament approved a further six-month extension to a state of emergency in the states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. Jonathan had requested a continuation of the special powers because of what he said was the “daunting” security situation and mounting civilian casualties. More than 2,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed this year alone as a result of the violence and the military’s response, according to NEMA, human rights and monitoring groups.

Nigeria car bombs kill at least 118 - Taipei Times

See also:

Nigeria bombs: 'The first thing I saw was a woman with no head and no legs'
Wednesday 21 May 2014 ~ Boko Haram suspected of attack in ethnically mixed northern city of Jos, as anger grows over lacklustre government response

Gabriel Uche never heard the sound of the explosion. All he knew was his brick, zinc-roofed electronics shop was suddenly pitch dark and silent. Then came a burst of searing pain and a high-pitched wailing from his nine-months-pregnant wife. Uche's car was less than 10 metres from a car packed with explosives which detonated in a teeming business district in the central Nigerian city of Jos on Tuesday afternoon. Miraculously, he survived the twin explosions, believed to be the work of Islamist insurgents Boko Haram, that left at least 123 dead. "I came out and the first thing I saw was a woman with no head and no legs," he said, standing amid the twisted remnants of laptops and televisions, twisted into spidery globules of black metal. Gusts of wind carried the scent of ash and the acrid smell of burning flesh.

Next door, his neighbour Sunday's shop was an equally smouldering wreck. He was burnt alive along with three customers as flames from the car set his carpet shop ablaze. Abdulsalam Mohammed, of Nigeria's national emergency management agency, told the Guardian the death toll could rise as emergency workers cleared the rubble. In the shadow of a teaching hospital whose windows had been blasted out, diggers began moving sheets of metal, rubble and singed clothes from the streets. "We've spent most of this morning picking up body parts – arms, legs, they were scattered over the rooftops," said one worker, staring blankly into the distance as he spoke. Nearby, the men had amassed a pile of ash-grey debris, from which a single pink high heel protruded.

No group has claimed responsibility, but the blast is probably the work of Boko Haram, which has recently escalated its five-year insurgency to carve a caliphate in northern Nigeria, and kidnapped more than 300 schoolgirls from a remote north-eastern school in April. In the past month, the group has set off two bombs in the capital, Abuja, and another in the country's second city, Kano. The second blast – timed to go off as people rescued the victims from the first one – mimics the tactics used in earlier blasts by the group. Witnesses said a group of youths crowded around a car they noticed was parked on the narrow, shop-lined street and warned panicked people fleeing the scene to stay away from there.

Late on Tuesday, Boko Haram gunmen also stormed through two settlements near Chibok, the village where the schoolgirls were kidnapped last month. Locals said at least 48 were killed in Alagarno and Shawa as the militants fired on fleeing civilians and razed parts of the village. Haruna Bitrus, a resident, said the attack had not provoked any response from an apparently beefed-up military presence in the area, part of three regions where a year-long state of emergency was extended this month. Nigeria's military has been stretched by attempts to police a vast, arid area in which fleet-footed insurgents have been able to make lightning raids. "While the gunmen were fleeing, three of their vehicles broke down and they have stayed behind to fix them. They were there up to this morning," with no response from the military, Bitrus told AFP.

MORE

 

[ScienceRocks]

Why won't we just bomb Boko haram while we're at it?

 

[AvgGuyIA]

Obama is to blame for the kidnapings.

 

[frigidweirdo]

It just appears to be extremely consistent with US foreign policy for a long time now. Chaotic, makes no sense, supporting the undesirable and just idiotic.

Makes no difference, Obama, Bush W., Clinton, Bush, Reagan whoever.....

Let's find the next bunch of muppets to support....

 

[frigidweirdo]

Why won't we just bomb Boko haram while we're at it?

Because they can't find them.....

 

[The Rabbi]

It just appears to be extremely consistent with US foreign policy for a long time now. Chaotic, makes no sense, supporting the undesirable and just idiotic.

Makes no difference, Obama, Bush W., Clinton, Bush, Reagan whoever.....

Let's find the next bunch of muppets to support....

They didnt start to become a problem until 2009. The administration supported them because they sold themselves as the victims of a repressive regime. And the ambassador bought the story hook line and sinker.

 

[jon_berzerk]

Why won't we just bomb Boko haram while we're at it?

Because they can't find them.....

‘Vigilantes’ with ‘illegal guns’ do to Boko Haram what government cannot

“Residents of three villages in northeastern Nigeria took security into their own hands this week, repelling attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and killing more than 200 of them, residents and officials said,” CNN reported last Thursday. “When news of the attack filtered out, people trooped out from nearby villages carrying arms.”

Where did they get the arms from? As documented in this correspondent’s recent Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership report, not only is there no “legal” right to private gun ownership, but "civilians are not allowed to possess machine-guns, military rifles and handguns … private possession of semi-automatic assault weapons [and] private possession of handguns (pistols and revolvers) is prohibited."

?Vigilantes? with ?illegal guns? do to Boko Haram what government cannot - National gun rights | Examiner.com

 

[frigidweirdo]

This is what they quote the Ambassador saying:

"Mr. Terrence announced to the activists that the US congress had previously passed a law that bars the United States from rendering military assistance to any government that violates basic rights of citizens. He said the Obama led US government has therefore ceased to assist Nigeria militarily in obedience to the law."

So, because Nigeria is violating basic human rights, the US is not going to fund Nigeria militarily.

That's hardly threatening them for fighting Islamic Extremists. They are probably infringing on basic human rights doing that too, but there are probably 100 more easily findable examples of the Nigerian govt doing this.

Nigeria Human Rights | Amnesty International USA

"Nigeria Human Rights

The police regularly commit human rights violations, including unlawful killings, torture and other ill-treatment, and enforced disappearances. The justice system is under-resourced and riddled with delays. Prisons are overcrowded; the majority of inmates are pre-trial detainees, some held for many years. Hundreds of people remain on death row, many sentenced after unfair trials. Conflict in the Niger Delta threatens the safety and lives of residents. Human rights defenders and journalists face intimidation and harassment. Violence against women is widespread and the government fails to protect the rights of children. Forced evictions take place across the country."

You want the US to give money to the Nigerian military now?

Really?

 

[frigidweirdo]

‘Vigilantes’ with ‘illegal guns’ do to Boko Haram what government cannot

“Residents of three villages in northeastern Nigeria took security into their own hands this week, repelling attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and killing more than 200 of them, residents and officials said,” CNN reported last Thursday. “When news of the attack filtered out, people trooped out from nearby villages carrying arms.”

Where did they get the arms from? As documented in this correspondent’s recent Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership report, not only is there no “legal” right to private gun ownership, but "civilians are not allowed to possess machine-guns, military rifles and handguns … private possession of semi-automatic assault weapons [and] private possession of handguns (pistols and revolvers) is prohibited."

?Vigilantes? with ?illegal guns? do to Boko Haram what government cannot - National gun rights | Examiner.com

There are lots of problems in Nigeria and lots of problems in Africa as a whole. "Democracy" is all about getting what you want, taking it and then running away with it.

You can't view this in the US perspective. To view this from the view of gun control in the US is like looking at the moon as cheese.

 

[Meathead]

This is what they quote the Ambassador saying:

"Mr. Terrence announced to the activists that the US congress had previously passed a law that bars the United States from rendering military assistance to any government that violates basic rights of citizens. He said the Obama led US government has therefore ceased to assist Nigeria militarily in obedience to the law."

So, because Nigeria is violating basic human rights, the US is not going to fund Nigeria militarily.

That's hardly threatening them for fighting Islamic Extremists. They are probably infringing on basic human rights doing that too, but there are probably 100 more easily findable examples of the Nigerian govt doing this.

Nigeria Human Rights | Amnesty International USA

"Nigeria Human Rights

The police regularly commit human rights violations, including unlawful killings, torture and other ill-treatment, and enforced disappearances. The justice system is under-resourced and riddled with delays. Prisons are overcrowded; the majority of inmates are pre-trial detainees, some held for many years. Hundreds of people remain on death row, many sentenced after unfair trials. Conflict in the Niger Delta threatens the safety and lives of residents. Human rights defenders and journalists face intimidation and harassment. Violence against women is widespread and the government fails to protect the rights of children. Forced evictions take place across the country."

You want the US to give money to the Nigerian military now?

Really?

The Nigerian government is certainly the lesser of two evils. The world is never as black and white as idealists seem to imagine. this is Africa FFS. Any government which is no systematically cleansing the country of their opposition and is battling fanatics like Boko Haram has to be considered moderate.

By your standards, we should only support western European governments and allow everyone else to fall to extremists.

Obama hasn't got a clue. You elect a community organizer, and you get one.

 

[JakeStarkey]

No wonder the Nigerian government was initially reluctant to accept U.S. assistance with finding the more than 200 Christian girls kidnapped by Boko Haram last month. Emboldening Nigeria’s Islamic terrorist enemies and having been already accused by the Obama administration of crimes against humanity for fighting militants who were responsible for hundreds of civilian deaths since 2010, they likely felt that Obama’s belated support was more a product of diplomatic CYA than actually caring about the fate of kidnapped Nigerian children.

Obama Administration Threatened Nigeria with Sanctions in 2013 for Fighting Boko Haram

Forgot to mention this, eh: . . . that the US congress had previously passed a law that bars the United States from rendering military assistance to any government that violates basic rights of citizens.

Obama now has to get the permission of the GOP Congress to go after bad guys it was protecting.

 

[The Rabbi]

No wonder the Nigerian government was initially reluctant to accept U.S. assistance with finding the more than 200 Christian girls kidnapped by Boko Haram last month. Emboldening Nigeria’s Islamic terrorist enemies and having been already accused by the Obama administration of crimes against humanity for fighting militants who were responsible for hundreds of civilian deaths since 2010, they likely felt that Obama’s belated support was more a product of diplomatic CYA than actually caring about the fate of kidnapped Nigerian children.

Obama Administration Threatened Nigeria with Sanctions in 2013 for Fighting Boko Haram

Forgot to mention this, eh: . . . that the US congress had previously passed a law that bars the United States from rendering military assistance to any government that violates basic rights of citizens.

Obama now has to get the permission of the GOP Congress to go after bad guys it was protecting.

What is "it" in your sentence, Jakey?

 

[jon_berzerk]

‘Vigilantes’ with ‘illegal guns’ do to Boko Haram what government cannot

“Residents of three villages in northeastern Nigeria took security into their own hands this week, repelling attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and killing more than 200 of them, residents and officials said,” CNN reported last Thursday. “When news of the attack filtered out, people trooped out from nearby villages carrying arms.”

Where did they get the arms from? As documented in this correspondent’s recent Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership report, not only is there no “legal” right to private gun ownership, but "civilians are not allowed to possess machine-guns, military rifles and handguns … private possession of semi-automatic assault weapons [and] private possession of handguns (pistols and revolvers) is prohibited."

?Vigilantes? with ?illegal guns? do to Boko Haram what government cannot - National gun rights | Examiner.com

There are lots of problems in Nigeria and lots of problems in Africa as a whole. "Democracy" is all about getting what you want, taking it and then running away with it.

You can't view this in the US perspective. To view this from the view of gun control in the US is like looking at the moon as cheese.

it is not a US perspective

the government denied these folks the basic human right to self defense

they took back that right not as an act of democracy

but rather the right to survive

 

[R.D.]

No wonder the Nigerian government was initially reluctant to accept U.S. assistance with finding the more than 200 Christian girls kidnapped by Boko Haram last month. Emboldening Nigeria’s Islamic terrorist enemies and having been already accused by the Obama administration of crimes against humanity for fighting militants who were responsible for hundreds of civilian deaths since 2010, they likely felt that Obama’s belated support was more a product of diplomatic CYA than actually caring about the fate of kidnapped Nigerian children.

Obama Administration Threatened Nigeria with Sanctions in 2013 for Fighting Boko Haram

Forgot to mention this, eh: . . . that the US congress had previously passed a law that bars the United States from rendering military assistance to any government that violates basic rights of citizens.

Obama now has to get the permission of the GOP Congress to go after bad guys it was protecting.

Forgot? No. I knew you could read. I should have also known you would play the Republican obstruction card

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Its appalling that the O admin would support such a heinous, barbaric group as haram.

 

[JakeStarkey]

No wonder the Nigerian government was initially reluctant to accept U.S. assistance with finding the more than 200 Christian girls kidnapped by Boko Haram last month. Emboldening Nigeria’s Islamic terrorist enemies and having been already accused by the Obama administration of crimes against humanity for fighting militants who were responsible for hundreds of civilian deaths since 2010, they likely felt that Obama’s belated support was more a product of diplomatic CYA than actually caring about the fate of kidnapped Nigerian children.

Obama Administration Threatened Nigeria with Sanctions in 2013 for Fighting Boko Haram

Forgot to mention this, eh: . . . that the US congress had previously passed a law that bars the United States from rendering military assistance to any government that violates basic rights of citizens.

Obama now has to get the permission of the GOP Congress to go after bad guys it was protecting.

Forgot? No. I knew you could read. I should have also known you would play the Republican obstruction card

When it's the truth, bud, eat it.

After we clean up the crap in our GOP, we can go after the Dems.

 

[Antares]

This is what they quote the Ambassador saying:

"Mr. Terrence announced to the activists that the US congress had previously passed a law that bars the United States from rendering military assistance to any government that violates basic rights of citizens. He said the Obama led US government has therefore ceased to assist Nigeria militarily in obedience to the law."

So, because Nigeria is violating basic human rights, the US is not going to fund Nigeria militarily.

That's hardly threatening them for fighting Islamic Extremists. They are probably infringing on basic human rights doing that too, but there are probably 100 more easily findable examples of the Nigerian govt doing this.

Nigeria Human Rights | Amnesty International USA

"Nigeria Human Rights

The police regularly commit human rights violations, including unlawful killings, torture and other ill-treatment, and enforced disappearances. The justice system is under-resourced and riddled with delays. Prisons are overcrowded; the majority of inmates are pre-trial detainees, some held for many years. Hundreds of people remain on death row, many sentenced after unfair trials. Conflict in the Niger Delta threatens the safety and lives of residents. Human rights defenders and journalists face intimidation and harassment. Violence against women is widespread and the government fails to protect the rights of children. Forced evictions take place across the country."

You want the US to give money to the Nigerian military now?

Really?

When did THIS Administration start caring about ANY Law?

 

[Meathead]

Forgot to mention this, eh: . . . that the US congress had previously passed a law that bars the United States from rendering military assistance to any government that violates basic rights of citizens.

Obama now has to get the permission of the GOP Congress to go after bad guys it was protecting.

Forgot? No. I knew you could read. I should have also known you would play the Republican obstruction card

When it's the truth, bud, eat it.

After we clean up the crap in our GOP, we can go after the Dems.

Your GOP would be the left wing of the Democrat party. I understand why you are usually called Fakey.

 

[Antares]

Forgot? No. I knew you could read. I should have also known you would play the Republican obstruction card

When it's the truth, bud, eat it.

After we clean up the crap in our GOP, we can go after the Dems.

Your GOP would be the left wing of the Democrat party. I understand why you are usually called Fakey.

He admitted he voted for Obama in the last election.